Blood Claim.

Gold Fever

When gold is discovered, the hills of California become overrun with prospectors looking for the mother lode. However, gold fever fades as little is found. The hills are deserted once again for a short time. After losing his parents, Cyrus befriends young Callum. Callum knows little of the outside world, and what little he does know, he doesn’t care for. The harsh mountains are home despite the brutal winters and the dangers inherent in the unsettled country.

Marcus Winfield told investors there was gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains, and they didn’t need to use a pick and shovel to dig it out. That was too primitive. Winfield was convinced technology would make his dreams of striking it rich come true. Hydraulic mining equipment was expensive, but by putting together an investment group, he could generate the funds necessary for the endeavor.

Geology expert and mining engineer William Epperson had poured over topographical maps and assured Winfield there were several likely locations they could mine. It would be expensive. The area was remote, the mountains daunting, but the reward could be great if they struck a rich vein. Winfield was enthusiastic. He’d already found another interested investor—Holden Bauer, who had little interest in gold but a great deal of interest in timber. Construction on California’s Gold Coast was booming, and his sawmill was nearly as good as a mint when it came to producing money.

The mining company formed by Winfield, Bauer, and Epperson planned to find gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Though aware there was a claim on a promising location, no one knew who the owner was or where he might be found. The three partners decided to risk beginning operations without securing a title to the land, figuring they could settle any dispute with the courts or with guns if need be. They had no idea the claim’s owner wasn’t interested in money. Cal McLachlan wanted payment in blood from anyone trying to take the land he claimed as home.

      

Callum McLachlan watched the clash of the titans, wide-eyed as Cyrus Pike grinned at the expression of awe on the young lad’s face. The bellows gave way to groans and almost pig-like grunts as the two animals collided in a chest-to-chest embrace. One grizzly was lighter in color than his opponent. The blond-tipped fur caused the animal’s coat to appear to be golden in the summer sunlight. The other bear was darker, with a hint of a red tinge that made the boy think of rust.

“There must be a female somewhere near,” Cyrus whispered. The mountain man, Pike, knew grizzlies. He’d lived with them, hunted them, and on occasion been stalked by one. “Summer is mating season. Each of these two boys is tryin’ to stake a claim to this area. Keep your eyes peeled. We don’t want the sow to surprise us,” he told his young companion, nodding in the direction of the combatants. “Pay attention, Cal. If you wanted to survive in the mountains, it pays to understand which animals you might need to eat and which ones might eat you.”

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